Do you get overwhelmed?  I do.  A few years ago, my health was so out of control that I didn’t know what to do to get it under control… I felt as though I was juggling my diabetes, my psoriasis, and my psoriatic arthritis.  If I was doing good and getting my diabetes where it needed to be, then my psoriasis and my psoriatic arthritis would fall to the wayside, and vice versa.  I kept getting into trouble with my doctors but I just didn’t know anything else to do.  Finally, I just fell off the sugar wagon… I stopped worrying about my diabetes and focused on my other ailments.  This was not a good idea.

One day I had gone to the doctor for a UTI and that night about 10:30 pm, the doctor on call called me.  He said that the lab called him and told him that the amount of sugar in my urine was off the charts.  He wanted me to check my sugar while he was on the phone with me.  For me, a normal sugar reading at night, after meals, should be around 150, mine was 514!  He sent me to the ER to get insulin by IV.  I knew that Hershel was working the next day and didn’t want to bother Megan, so I told them that I would go by myself.  I assumed that they would give me insulin and bring my sugar down and then let me go home.  That is not what happened.  They decided to keep me in the hospital.  Not good!  That was my low point.  That was the point I decided something had to give.  I cried to my doctors telling them that I was overwhelmed and I couldn’t do it all.

I started looking for an app that helped keep up with the whole body, but couldn’t find one.  There are apps for diabetes, apps for cardiac care, apps for nutrition, apps for working out, apps for almost everything, but no app for whole body wellness.  I decided that I wanted to create an app where all of my doctors, me the patient, my pharmacist, and anyone else that was necessary could go and see what my labs were, what the other doctors were doing, any new allergies, any test results, etc.  I am not technologically inclined enough to create such an app, so I put my idea on a shelf…

I did, however, get an insulin pump that takes care of my diabetes, and I got on a correct combination of meds that help my psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.  I feel like my juggling days are over… hopefully.

I have a new mission though… I realized recently that most doctors have patient portals, in these patient portals, are all of the tests, doctor notes, and medications that they have prescribed to me, the patient.  Why can’t we take these patient portals and connect them, so that each of my doctors can see everything in one location.  So I asked one of my doctors, and he said, “that would be ideal, but it will never happen.”  When I hear “never happen” something inside me says, “watch me make it happen.”

To do this I have to talk to convince the government that this is a great idea, and they have to agree, and make a mandate that all doctors’ offices use the same portal system and then we can connect them.  So, it may take me years, but I am willing to start the process.

Please be in prayer with me as I start the process.  Thank you!

Yesterday we sold our camper.  I have been wanting to sell it for a couple of years for several reasons, but mainly because we never have time to use it anymore.  We had some really great times camping in it, and we made a lot of wonderful memories.  Even though the aggravating times were not fun at the time, now I think back to those times and smile.

I do have to give one example of those aggravating times.  When she was about 10 years old, Megan wanted to take a friend with us when we went to Branson camping one summer.  She is an only child and it was always more fun for her to have a friend with her.  One of our nephews and Megan were so close they could have been siblings, so she chose him to go with us.  One particular afternoon we were all getting ready to go to one of the shows on the main strip.  Hershel and I were ready before Megan and Cuz so we  took the dogs for a walk and got them squared away. By then the kids had brushed their teeth and were ready to go.  I am not sure which kiddo was the last one out, and it really didn’t matter, but when we got back, one of our neighbors in the camp ground came over and told us that he turned our water off outside the camper. Apparently, we had water pouring out of the bottom of the camper for a really long time.  You see, here’s what happened, Megan thought Cuz turned off the water in the bathroom sink and he thought she turned it off; however, no one turned it off.  Oh my goodness, was Hershel mad!!  We had to go to Wal-Mart and purchase a shop vac to try to get the water up.  But… Doesn’t everyone end up at Wal-Mart at least once on every vacation? Looking back at that memory, we laugh now, but at the time, not so much.

Yesterday when I saw the camper being taken away, I got really sad.  It made me realize that I have a bad habit of looking to the past or to the future and not enjoying the present.  In doing that, I miss so much.  PSALM 118:24 THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE, LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT.  Wow!  This verse steps all over my toes!  Remembering the good times, and even the not so good times, is not a bad thing to do as long as we don’t dwell there.  We live in the present and we need to be content where we are.

Just like remembering the past, we can look forward to the future, as long as we don’t settle there.  I have heard people say that the present is a gift from God and we need to enjoy it.  We are not guaranteed a single breath.  Only God knows how long we will be on this Earth and if we are only looking to the future and not the here and now, we will never be happy and satisfied with our lives.

I am not saying that it is a bad thing to plan for the future, actually the Lord tells us in JEREMIAH 29:11 “FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU” DECLARES THE LORD, “PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU, PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE.” If the Lord has plans for our future, it is good to look forward to them, as long as we do not forget to rejoice and be glad in today. We need to thank God for each and every day, even when they are not the best days.

This has been a hard concept for me in the past, because by being a Christian, I am not of this world, I am just living in it temporarily.  My home is in Heaven with my Heavenly Father.  I didn’t understand why I would rejoice in another day here on Earth, when my ultimate goal is to be in Heaven with my Father.  Then I started thinking about those memories, and the past, present, and future. Like a light bulb coming on, I realized that I am to rejoice and be glad in today and everyday because my Heavenly Father created me on this Earth to worship Him, to enjoy the blessings that He has given me, and to reach others for Him, so that they may also live and worship Him at His feet one day right along beside me.

So, with all of that being said, I say today, and will try to say every day of my life here in this world, “TODAY IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE! LET ME REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!”

 

 

I have told y’all in a previous post that I am speaking at a convention in February. This convention is for the drug that cleared my skin. I am sure I’ve mentioned before that I prayed for the Lord to open doors for me to be able to share my experiences and maybe help someone that is starting their journey through psoriasis or someone that is struggling in their journey. Originally, my rheumatologist and my dermatologist were going to speak about my long journey that they have been on with me for the most part. I was going to be interviewed then they were going to come out to join me. Well, just as in life, things change. I found out yesterday that my 2 doctors were not going to be able to make it.

My first reaction was panic. Honestly, I had a “moment”. I called one of the doctors and asked him, “whhhaaaatttt!!!!!”  Lol  Seriously, I couldn’t believe they bailed on me…  My doctor that I called had a pretty good idea, and that calmed me down. I was scheduled to have a conference call with the reps from the company this evening and they were so nice and we got along wonderfully.

One of the first questions they asked me was whether I was still comfortable speaking even though my doctors (my security, my safety net) were not going to be there. I had not even considered not speaking but when that question came up, I realized that I had prayed for the Lord to open doors for me to help others. I never mentioned opening doors for me and my doctors. I also realized that God didn’t want my security or my safety net to be anyone but Him.

When I answered their question, I was unsure of how to respond. I did not want to offend either of them and I didn’t know if they were Christians or atheists. So, what was my answer? I told them that I didn’t want to offend them if they were not religious, but that I had prayed for God to open doors for me to reach out to those that are going through what I’ve gone through. He has opened a door and I’m walking through it.

After I answered in that way, I was so relieved that they were even more excited about me speaking than before. I’m really looking forward to meeting these two in person and sharing how God has worked in each of our lives.

I asked for God to open the doors but He is not only opening the doors, He is blessing me with new friendships with my brothers and sisters in Christ!!

I realize that I should not worry about offending anyone with my faith in God, and I’m really not a “people pleaser” but religion is such a hot button for some…  Remember, I’m still a work in progress!!  Also, I’m sure you noticed my first reaction when I found out the doctors were not coming … I didn’t go to the Lord, I panicked. He is always there for me and He always takes care of me and yet I still panic.  It’s just crazy y’all!!  One would think by now I would automatically turn to Him but He isn’t finished with me yet!!

Well, I just finished my longest blog to date, but a song came on and I had to get this written down before I forgot…

As children, if you went to church, or to a back yard bible club, vacation bible school, etc., you heard and sang the song “This Little Light of Mine”. For those who aren’t familiar, here are the lyrics:

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,
let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel – NO!
I’m gonna let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel – NO!
I’m gonna let it shine,
Hide it under a bushel – NO!
I’m gonna let it shine, Let it shine,
let it shine, let it shine.
Don’t let Satan blow it out.
I’m gonna let it shine.
Don’t let Satan blow it out.
I’m gonna let it shine
Don’t let Satan blow it out.
I’m gonna let it shine,
let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Let it shine til Jesus comes.
I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine til Jesus comes.
I’m gonna let it shine,
Let it shine til Jesus comes.
I’m gonna let it shine.
let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,
let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Ok, so those are the lyrics we used to sing, however, I have found several different versions, so if your version is different, that’s ok too because we are singing about the light of Jesus!

The group Addison Road has their own version and it really hit me when I heard it come on a few minutes ago.  It reminded me that while I’m walking on this Earth, I am supposed be a light for Jesus.  People look at my reactions to everyday problems, they watch me in public and how I interact with people that I may not really want to interact with, but I strive to be like Jesus everyday (although I fail horribly everyday!) Jesus went and spent time with those that were homeless, that were diseased, that were not believers of Him.  So why is it so hard for us to do the same?  I do not have a full time job, but yet, I have trouble wanting to go visit the sick… Since I got on so much medication that lowers my immune system, I have become a germophobe!  When I am in a public place and I hear someone cough, I literally cringe… Seriously, I have a real problem. (Honestly, I had no idea this blog was going to go there… but it’s true… I have a real problem with germs.)

Back to Addison Road’s version, if you haven’t heard it, here it is…

I truly want the light of Jesus shine everyday, in everything I do.  It won’t always happen, I will fail, but I am going to try.  I am going to challenge you to let your light shine for Jesus everyday too!

I am not writing this blog for sympathy.  I do not pity  myself.  No, I do not like having this autoimmune disease, but it could far worse!  I am praying that God will reach those that need Him in their journey through this disease!

*** I need to let you know there will be graphic pics of psoriasis patients on this blog, but I want you to understand what a psoriasis patient, what I go through on a daily basis.

This little snippit was taken after I had been at Megan’s Senior Homecoming parade.  I stood in the shade and had long sleeves and pants on… Still my flair up was horrible!  Each spot had fever in it and was so very painful!

This picture is of my swollen ankle and part of my leg… this is the same time as the video from above…

BEFORE I START WITH THIS BLOG… IF YOU SEE SOMEONE WITH SKIN ISSUES, MOST LIKELY IT ISN’T CONTAGIOUS!  PLEASE DON’T TREAT THEM LIKE THEY ARE GROSS, OR A LEPER!  WE ARE NORMAL PEOPLE WITH AN UNFORTUNATE AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE… TREAT US NORMAL… PLEASE!

In my blog about living with psoriasis, I didn’t really go into the process it took to find the right combination of meds that put me into remission, I tried to remember all of the different combos we tried, but the number was so high, there was no way I can tell you, but I can tell you I felt like a guinea pig trying to find the correct combo!

I have a reason for blogging on psoriasis again, and I will get to that, but first I want you all to understand why when we finally found the combo it was such a God thing!  At the end of this blog, I have put a list of the 7 types of psoriasis and I have listed a lot but not all of the drugs.  You can get an idea of the pain that psoriasis patients go through. I have had psoriasis for approximately 35 years.  GAH!  I’m old… lol.  Anyway, I wasn’t diagnosed until 1999, so it has been 19 years of trying different drug cocktails… aka drug combinations, but about 1 1/2 years ago I went into remission!  Clear skin, joints were strong enough for me to start wearing heels, and cute wedges (I did break my foot wearing some cute wedges. Everyone asked me if I threw them away… ummm NO they are too cute to throw away!!) Anyway, so for 17-18 years we tried different combinations of meds and finally found THE combo that worked!  PRAISE GOD!!!

“But first,” for a while, I have been asking God for a way that I can reach out to other psoriasis patients, and make a little money to help with my healthcare… I have a strong supporter in my husband!!!  He works and is completely comfortable with me not working; however, my healthcare costs a lot of money and I feel really guilty about that.  So in God’s way and in His timing, He opened up a little gig for me. Almost a year ago, my rheumatologist was talking to the drug rep about me… ME!  He was telling him my story, however, he didn’t even realize the whole story when he was discussing me to this rep. I’ll explain that part in a minute.

So the drug rep went back to the CEO of the drug company and told him my story.  MY STORY… LIL OLE’ ME!  Lol  Then the CEO calls my doctor and they discussed my long history and everything we had tried with no luck, but I started this particular drug the day they started filling the syringes.  He explained that I had tried a different drug that was basically the same drug with one difference… here’s how he explained it to me… say the drug was a car.  The drug that didn’t work would fix a flat tire on the right side, where the drug that did work would fix the flat tire on the left side…  it was a really good analogy for me because I’m not the science girl.

After my doctor talked to the CEO of the drug company, I had an appointment with my doctor.  I have an unusual relationship with this doctor.  He is one of my favorite doctors ever, he jokes around with me, but he will chew me out when I need it.  He sometimes gets so angry with me he has to leave the room… when this happens, Mom and I start praying that he comes back happier, and he always does.  Unless you have a relationship like this with a doctor, I do not know how to explain it.  It is in no way inappropriate.  It is just fun.

Anyway, back to the story… He comes in to the room I’m in and we start talking about how I’m doing.  He always looks at my hands and goes knuckle to knuckle and squeezes them and if one hurts I am supposed to say yes.  His favorite thing is if I have an obviously inflamed knuckle, he will squeeze it extra hard… and then he will just look at me while I try to fight the tears and laugh at the same time… he is definitely a character… ugh I’m getting off track again…

So he comes in the exam room, and asks how I’m doing and I tell him I’m doing great!  He looks me over and as he always does, I told him that I was able to wear a pair of heels for the first time in close to 20 year.  He starts to tear up (of course, he would never admit to that) and he tells me to stop that… lol!  Then we talk about my skin.  He sees that my skin is clear… but what he doesn’t know and what he didn’t tell the CEO was that my skin cleared up within the first week after taking the new drug.  He had no idea, because my appointments are scheduled about 3 months apart.  Well, this time he got up and left the room… I’m assuming he had to go into his office and have a good cry. He truly cares about my health, and I know that he was elated with this news.

When he came back, there were no visible signs of crying, but I’m gonna just believe he was so moved he had a huge cry… lol.  He actually came back in and said ( and this is to the best of my recollection), “I don’t even want to tell you this because you are the type of person someone hires to be in the back ground and you end up on the billboard.”  I ask him what he was talking about and he answers, “I seriously don’t want to tell you, but the CEO of the drug company wants you to speak at their conferences, and maybe even make an educative commercial. OH HERE IT COMES…” Yes, he saw my huge smile and I might have been bouncing in the chair, I can’t really remember-but that is pretty much a given… lol.  He mentioned I would probably want to ask for hair and makeup and of course a limo. etc…  I was on cloud 9!  I knew that this was God answering my prayer!

Well, nothing happened for almost a year… I had stopped listening to God and doing what He told me to do, then I prayed and asked Him what I was to do.  He told me to start this blog, so I did… guess what!!!  Within 2 weeks of writing this blog to honor His Glory, my doctor called me and asked me if I still wanted to be a STAR!  I told him, “DUH, of course I did!”  So he told me of an opportunity where they wanted me, and gave me some information and asked if he could give the person in charge my information.  He also talked to me about what to ask for from them in the way of compensation… So I immediately think, “OMG WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR????”  I am assuming they are doing the educational video.  Then I get an email from the lady in charge and she wants to have a phone conversation that evening.

She called me and the first thing she informed me of was that this was a conference of doctors and others in the medical field, and I will be speaking to 400-500 people.  SERIOUSLY? 400-500 PEOPLE?!  OMG…. well you all know I can talk, but I forget words, which can be a real problem when speaking to a lot of people… PRAYER REQUEST**** PRAY THAT I CAN REMEMBER ALL MY WORDS!!!  PLEASE!!!

She explains that there are a lot of different meetings during the conference but that I will speak to the general meeting with everyone that attends… eeeekkkkk!!  Here’s what she said will happen… there will be a man interviewing me with questions that I will have already been given… makes that easier… then my rheumatologist and my dermatologist will come out and talk about me and my case… the whole general session is about this drug and my case… how humbling!!!  Only God brought this together!  And only in His timing… He wanted me to be listening to Him and doing His will, then and only then did He bring this to fruition.

So, the end of February, Mom, Gypsy (my service dog), and I will be heading to Dallas for this conference.  PRAYER REQUEST****** I AM ASKING FOR NO ISSUES TO COME UP.  I WANT EASY PEASY WITH THIS… GOD KNOWS WHAT I MEAN BY THAT…

I have at least one conference call, and a possible in person meeting with the man interviewing me coming up.  I am so excited about this opportunity!  I have an idea I want to talk to the CEO about, and I want him to really listen to me, so PRAYER REQUEST****** ALLOW HIM TO LISTEN TO ME AND NOT THINK I’M A BABBLING IDIOT!

On top of all of that coming up, I am working this liver drug study, had my last iron infusion today, I have to go next week to get released from my surgery I just had (although I don’t think she will release me until I have signs of menopause… ugh) I have multiple doctor appointments as usual, but with having the surgery and my blood count being off, that just added to everything, oh and did I  mention I have the worlds worst stye in my eye?  Can I say ENOUGH ALREADY?  No then I might get hit with a lot more… Please no!

My initial reaction was not to praise our Mighty Father!  My initial reaction was what to wear… I am still a work in progress… but when I did sit down and realize that God was behind this and the timing of it, I realized that I really, really need more work… PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!!

Now you can skip this part, or you can look through it.  It is just a little education about psoriasis… the types, and different drugs used to try and fight this horrible disease…

There are 7 types of psoriasis: (These explanations and pictures come from Web MD and google.)

1 –  Plaque psoriasis – aka psoriasis vulgaris – this is the most common type of psoriasis.  8-10 people with psoriasis will be diagnosed with this type. Plaque psoriasis causes raised, inflamed, red skin covered with silvery, white scales. These patches may itch and burn. It can appear anywhere on your body, but often pops up in these areas:

• Elbows
• Knees
• Scalp
• Lower back

**THIS IS THE TYPE I HAVE WITH THE VARIATION THAT MINE IS PHOTOSENSITIVE PLAQUE PSORIASIS.

2 – Guttate Psoriasis -This type often starts in children or young adults. It happens in less than 2% of cases. Guttate psoriasis causes small, pink-red spots on your skin. They often appear on your:

• Trunk
• Upper arms
• Thighs
• Scalp

Triggers include:

• Upper respiratory infection such as strep throat or tonsillitis
• Stress
• Skin injury
• Certain drugs such as beta-blockers

3 – Pustular psoriasis is a skin disease. You’ll see white bumps filled with pus near or inside red skin blotches. These are called pustules, and they can hurt and be scaly, flaky, or itchy. Even though you see pus on your bumps, it’s not an infection. You can’t catch pustular psoriasis from someone else or give it to others.

Pustular psoriasis usually happens to adults — it’s rare for kids to have it. It can run in families.  You can get pustular psoriasis either on its own or with another kind of psoriasis called plaque psoriasis.

4 – Inverse psoriasis affects the skininside the folds of your body. It gives you red, shiny patches in certain places, like:

• In your armpits
• In skin folds around your genitals and between your buttocks
• Under your breasts
• In your groin

 

5  – Erthrodermic Psoriasis – This is a rare but very dangerous form of psoriasis. It’s important to know the symptoms. If you think you have erythrodermic psoriasis, see your doctor right away.

Symptoms

Fiery red skin from head to toe is the main symptom. Your skin is also covered in scales and peels off in large pieces. It can be very painful and itchy. You might see tiny blisters called pustules that are filled with pus.

Symptoms can develop over time, but they can come on suddenly too.

You also may have:

• Chills or fever
• Joint pain
• Rapid heartbeat
• Swollen ankles

Why It’s Dangerous

Your skin is important to your overall health. It helps control your body temperature, keeps germs and toxins out, and holds moisture in. Erythrodermic psoriasis throws all this off, and the results can be life threatening. They include a dangerously low body temperature (hypothermia), the loss of much-needed proteins and fluids, and severe illnesses like sepsis or pneumonia. If you lose too much fluid, your heartwon’t have enough blood to pump. That can lead to shock, kidney failure, or heart failure.

7 – Pediatric Psoriasis –   is a disease that causes itchy, dry patches on your skin. Up to 40% of people with psoriasis have symptoms before they’re 16 years old, and 10% get it before they’re 10.

Children can have mild, moderate, or severe psoriasis. It’s a lifelong condition with no cure, but you can treat the symptoms with medication. Most pediatric cases of psoriasis are mild and get better with treatment.

Psoriasis isn’t contagious. Often, a bacterial infection like strep throat triggers psoriasis for the first time in children. Other kids get certain genes from their parents that make them more likely to get it.

Things that raise a child’s risk of getting the disease also include:

• Being obese
• Certain medications, like lithium, beta-blockers, or malaria drugs
• Cold weather
• Cuts, scratches, sunburn, or rashes on the skin
• High levels of stress

 

 

Now to explain the drugs that MDs use to treat these horrible diseases…

1 – Topical psoriasis treatments include:

There are many other meds for psoriasis, but these are the main ones.

 

 

I had a thought, so I want to know, do you believe that the Almighty Father loves you or me? Do you believe that He talks to us? I mean, why would He?  We are not worthy, no offense, but none of us are worthy.  In the book of Romans, it tells us that no one is righteous, not one of us.  So why would He send His only begotten Son to die for our sins, and then why would He leave the Holy Spirit to be here with us until Jesus returns? It also tells us in the book of Romans that “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

So it is only by God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins, that we are worthy.  HOW AMAZING IS THAT????!!!   SO AMAZING!!!

My next question was whether or not He talks to us.  Have you ever heard His voice?  Have you ever felt Him speak to you?  He talks to us in different ways.  He may audibly talk to you like He did Samuel in 1 Samuel, or He may speak through a burning bush like He did to Moses in book of Exodus.  Has He ever come to talk to you in a dream?  He did that many times in the Bible.  He may be trying to talk to us but we are so busy doing this or that, that we may not hear Him.  He tells us to be still… In my experience, He has spoken to me in several different ways, but only when I pay attention do I hear Him.

Has He ever told you to do something and you didn’t do it?  It is a horrible feeling, I can tell you from experience.  I almost had one of those experiences today.  I had gone to the doctor (2 doctors actually) and I was on my way home, all I had to do was stop at the pharmacy and go home and my plan was to go straight to bed for a bit.

God had other plans for my afternoon.  I live in a small town north of Bossier City, Louisiana.  On the way home from the doctors offices this afternoon, I notice the little man who sits on the side of the highway holding his Bible up for everyone to see.  I have lived in the same place for 22 years, and I have seen him many times.  He just sits there in the same spot and holds that Bible up with the same arm.  That arm has to be so strong by now!  I have stopped before and let my daughter give him a bottle of water, but other than that, I just continue on my way.  I might wave at him now and again.  Today as I waved to him as I passed Him, I felt the Lord tell me to turn around and get a picture of him for y’all to see.  I thought how rude would that be? I mean, I turn around and go back then turn around to catch a picture of him as I travel down the road without his permission.  The Lord then said, “I wasn’t finished with my directions to you.  I want you to pull over and talk to him.”  I argued with Him for a few minutes.  I told him, “Lord, seriously?  I do not feel good, I don’t want to stop and talk to him.  I want to go home.”  He said, “No, you are to stop and visit with him.”

UGH!!!  I heard Him loud and clear, but still I wanted to just go home… but I turned around and pulled in where he was sitting on his ladder next to his car. (He used to sit on his car, but he got a different car and I guess it is harder to sit on or something, because now he has a regular sized ladder that he sits on.)  As I was getting out of my car, he started climbing down from his ladder.  I told him he didn’t need to climb down, (only because I didn’t want to stay long. Can you say selfish?) Anyway, the first thing he asked me was if I was a Christian, but that isn’t exactly how he put it, because he speaks like from a different time. I told him that, yes, I am a Christian, and he was so excited that I was a Christian.  Then I told him about this blog (he didn’t know what a blog was, so I explained as best I could) and I asked him if I could get a picture of him to put on here.  He agreed, but before he climbed up his ladder, he wrote a Bible verse for me on a little card that he had in his pocket.   Oh I forgot to mention that today he was wearing a full suit.  He usually wears nice pants and shirt with a tie, but today must have been special, because of the full suit.  I didn’t ask…now I wish I would have.   Anyway, we got to talking about different stuff, like family, church, etc.  He mentioned that he was a preacher at a little church in a tiny little community that I was familiar with, and he said he was born not far from this little community.  I am familiar with this community because we used to have our family reunions in this little community, also, my daddy was born not far from there as well.  I asked him where he was born and it was the same place my daddy was born. I asked him his name again and he told me and I almost knocked him off his ladder… come to find out, his daddy and my grandmother were 1st cousins!!!  I told him we are related!!  I was so excited then… I told him my grandmother’s name and he said that his daddy used to talk about her all the time.  I couldn’t believe it!!  I have watched this man for years, and we are related… wow!  Here is a picture of my 4th cousin…

I know that the Lord wanted me to show that He can use you, whether you just sit on the side of the road and hold up His word, or if He wants you to go into another country and be an active missionary.  I think the Lord also wanted me to realize that when I do what He tells me to do, I will always get a blessing through it.  I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with my distant relative!

The Lord wants to talk to you too, but you have to listen, and trust me, if He tells you something to do, just do it, because He has a blessing in store for you.  You may not understand why He is asking you to do whatever it is, but He has a plan and He wants to use you.  When we don’t follow what He wants us to do, I’m sure He has others to do your part, but you lose out on that blessing.  It was just a thought…

 

 

 

During lunch with a great friend Saturday, I was reminded how far God has brought me in the past few years. I have gotten so caught up in the here and now, that I honestly don’t remember if I have thanked the Lord for being so faithful to me.

About 2 years ago I was really struggling with trying to juggle my diabetes, my psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. At the time, my doctors and I had not found the right combination of medicine for my psoriasis and my psoriatic arthritis. My skin was covered in plaques, which was so painful and itchy and I was miserable. My joints were doing ok. This was after my body had shut down and I was able to walk but the amount of pain I was still in on a daily basis was unpredictable.

My diabetes, on the other hand, was completely uncontrolled. I had been taking about 7 shots of insulin a day and just couldn’t take it anymore and I got so overwhelmed that I just quit dealing with it.  I was not checking my sugar like I was supposed to and I was eating whatever I wanted. I didn’t have any of those high sugar symptoms so I figured it was fine. I had been asking my diabetes doctors for an insulin pump, but they told me that I had to get my sugar under control and keep it under control for 6 months before they would consider a pump.  In my mind, that was impossible.

Then one day I went to the doctor and he wanted to do blood work and a urinalysis. Well, about 10:30 pm the same day that I went to the doctor, I got a phone call from the doctor’s office. The doctor on call that night had received a call from the lab. The lab told him the amount of sugar in my urine was off the charts. He wanted me to check my sugar immediately and let him know what it was. When I checked it, it was 514 (it is not supposed to be over 150 in my case anyway)! He sent me to the hospital to get insulin. I figured that I would just go get some insulin, which would take a couple of hours, and then they would send me home. It was late and I knew my husband had to work the next day so I went by myself.

Well, once I got there, the ER doctor changed that plan… He admitted me into the hospital.  This was the point that I realized that I had to change what I was doing to my body. I was still so overwhelmed by trying to take care of everything all at the same time that I didn’t know what to do.  Of course, giving this over to God, the Great Physician, never crossed my mind before this point.

Finally, I cried out to Him and He led me to find another doctor for my diabetes.  One that would help me get an insulin pump.  I decided to look for a doctor in Dallas, I mean, what’s one more doctor in Dallas, I already had 2. I had no idea how to find one, so I googled “best endocrinologist in Dallas” and I called to get an appointment, fully expecting that he was either booked solid, or that I would have to wait for months to see him.  He was able to see me within 2 weeks!  I was shocked, but looking back, I don’t know why I was shocked?  I had cried out to God and He is always so faithful!

I went to the new doctor, and the first thing he wanted to do was talk about putting me on a pump… I had not told him that was what I wanted, so I was excited!  Not only did I get an insulin pump, but I got a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) that would check my sugar every 5 minutes and send the result to my pump.  WOW!  So step 1-get my sugar under control was working.  Now for step 2-some new drugs had come out for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and when we put some new combinations together, my skin cleared up within a couple of weeks, and my joints were doing great!

When I looked back at how I was trying to handle everything and what a mess I had created with my health, I realized just how miserable and overwhelmed I was. Then I looked at how after I had cried out to God, the changes in my health were immediate.  I was amazed at how quickly things just fell into place.  I don’t know why it took me so long to ask Him for help, because I know that He always answers and when given the opportunity, He takes care of everything.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7 DON’T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING; INSTEAD, PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING.  TELL GOD WHAT YOU NEED, AND THANK HIM FOR ALL HE HAS DONE.  THEN YOU WILL EXPERIENCE GOD’S PEACE, WHICH EXCEEDS ANYTHING WE CAN UNDERSTAND.  HIS PEACE WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS AS YOU LIVE IN CHRIST JESUS.

I always thing of the story in the Bible of Jesus healing the 10 lepers.  Only 1 out of the 10 came back to thank Him.  I want to be like that 1 but I fail so many times, like the 9 that didn’t go back and thank Him.  Right now, I want to thank my Heavenly Father for allowing everything to fall into place.  I am no more overwhelmed or juggling my diabetes, psoriasis, or psoriatic arthritis, and that is only due to the Great Physician.

Always remember to give all your problems to the Lord, and then remember to thank Him for all He has done for you.  Pray for me as I try to do the same thing!  THANK YOU FATHER FOR ALWAYS TAKING CARE OF ME!

Do we have angels among us?  Have you ever seen an angel?  What would an angel look like on Earth?  Would he or she have wings? Would he or she be so bright we couldn’t look directly at them?  Would we try to bow down to the angel because the light of the Lord shines through them?

I believe that my Father in Heaven loves me so much that He not only has sent the Holy Spirit to be my ever present companion, but that He has sent angels to protect me at times.  If we look at Psalm 91:11, He tells us that He will order angels to protect us wherever we go… So, of course, He has sent angels to this Earth.  Sometimes to see them, we have to be aware of our surroundings.  For example, when my husband and I were dating many many years ago, I had a royal blue 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.  His name was Papa Smurf.  (Yes, I name my cars…lol.)  I was driving down Main Street in Minden, Louisiana (which at one end happens to be a 4 lane boulevard. 2 lanes on each side.) I was driving west on Main Street, when all of a sudden Papa Smurf decides to die right there in the middle of the right lane!  There is no shoulder on this part of Main Street, so I had to turn on my hazard lights and get out of the car, just in case someone didn’t see it and hit my handsome Papa Smurf.  At the time, all I had was a cellular bag phone.  (Yes, way back in the day!)  Before I got out of the car, I used my fancy dancy bag phone and called my, then, boyfriend to let him know I was broken down and would not make it to his parents, then I called my dad to come get me.

I had broken down right in front of a gorgeous house of some church friends, which was up on a hill, and right in front of their house, they had some steps going down to the street. Now, doesn’t God take care of us?! Those are the only steps going to the street on that end and that side of the street.  Anyway, I climbed up those steps and sat down watching my beloved car dead in the street.  I was waiting for my dad.  Out of the blue a sweet looking older man came walking toward me.  I had not seen him come from any of the houses around, nor was there a car that he had arrived from.  He offered to push my car down the street to the Methodist Church (which was just a little way down the road. This church had a parking area parallel to the road.)  I accepted his offer and I got into my car to put it into neutral, and to steer it as he pushed.

When he got me to the parking spot, I immediately got out to thank him and to give him some money for his time and effort; however, when I got out, he was no where to be seen.  I looked in every direction, and he was just gone.  I knew immediately that he was an angel, and I thanked God for sending him to protect me in that moment.

So, in answer to if I believe that there are angels among us, my answer is a definite YES!  This “man” did not have wings, so I do not believe they have to have wings to be angels on Earth.  This angel was not shining like he had just come from the presence of the Lord, so I do not thing they all will look glorified when we see them on Earth.  I am not saying that they all will look like my angel from that day so many years ago.  I have had other experiences with angels, that I will tell you about another time.  One such experience was completely different than this one.

Remember to be observant to your surroundings, and you can easily see God’s hand at work.

This blog is a little different than the previous blogs. I’m going to tell you what is happening in my life right now. I do not know how this part of my life will turn out but as God said, “whatever I ask for in prayer, I will receive it”. So I’m going to claim this as taken care of because I am asking and I am going to trust He will answer my prayer.

What am I talking about? Ok I have blogged about having cirrhosis of the liver before. Well, there is a drug study I have been accepted to participate in. There was a possible glitch at the very end, but God worked it all out… I went today for final testing and received my 2 bottles of medicine. I have no way of knowing if one bottle has the actual drug and if so, I don’t know what the dose is, or if both bottles are just placebo. I am praying that I have the actual drug at the highest dose and that my liver can be rejuvenated.

This drug study is for 240 weeks!! So obviously you will have to stick with me to find out the progress of my cirrhosis.

I would appreciate any prayers you lift up for me in this area!! Thanks so much!!

MARK 11:24 THEREFORE I TELL YOU, WHATEVER YOU ASK FOR IN PRAYER, BELIEVE, THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED IT, AND IT WILL BE YOURS.